Massage Therapy: Their Types and Benefits
Massage therapy has been around for centuries and is one of the most popular types of alternative medicine today. It is the manipulation of skin, muscles, and joints for a therapeutic effect. It typically consists of a combination of techniques such as long strokes, kneading with the hands or fingers, friction applied to body parts (usually one at a time), vibration by percussive hits on muscle tissues using a handheld drum, vibration by percussive hits on muscle tissues using a handheld drum, and pressure applied to joints.
Types of Massage Therapy
There are different types of massage therapy to achieve different results. These different types of massages are also called modalities. Modalities have been developed so that they target the specific area that has been bothering you. Since there are so many types of a massage therapy tailored to achieve specific results, we will discuss only a few of the most beneficial and popular ones.
Sports Massage Therapy
Sports massage therapy is beneficial for athletes who need to perform at their best. It helps them recover from the rigors of physical activity. The therapist will work on any areas that are either tight, sore, or stiff, including muscles and tendons, ligaments, and joints.
There are many benefits of sports massage therapy, including relief from post-workout muscle soreness, quicker recovery from injuries, and the ability to improve flexibility.
Sports massage therapy also can be beneficial for those who are not athletes but still want to maintain a healthy lifestyle or people who need help with their day-to-day routine. For example, it is good for arthritis because it can help relieve pain and discomfort.
Deep Tissue Massage Therapy
Deep tissue massage therapy is a type of bodywork that focuses on the deeper layers of muscle and fascia. Deep tissue massage aims to release chronic patterns, reduce chronic pain, improve posture, and alleviate various symptoms, including tension headaches or tightness in the neck from hunching over while using computers. A therapist will use slow strokes with deep finger pressure to work out knots and tension in the muscles, tendons, ligaments.
Deep tissue massage therapy has both physical and psychological benefits. This massage therapy mainly focuses on helping to treat muscle pain and improve stiffness. A study has shown that people with chronic lower back pain can get relief from this therapy.
Deep tissue massage therapy is also a great way to relieve stress. It happens when this massage therapy reduces cortisol levels and increases oxytocin levels, thus giving you a feeling of calmness.
Deep tissue massage therapy can benefit people who experience chronic pain in the lower back and other places. It has been shown to reduce this discomfort by working on tight muscle fibers that have contracted over time. This type of therapy also is suitable for those experiencing stiffness or limited mobility because it can help break through these restrictions and restore mobility.
This massage therapy helps in reducing high blood pressure, as it reduces stress and tension. This massage helps in increasing the production of serotonin, which creates good feelings.
It is important to note that deep tissue massage therapy should not be used on people who have newly sustained injuries due to the risk of reinjuring a recently healed area or aggravating an old injury.
People with chronic pain, arthritis, neck stiffness from hunching over your computer all day, injuries that are healing, or limited mobility will benefit from deep tissue massage therapy.
Cupping Massage Therapy
Cupping massage therapy is a type of massage therapy that has been practiced for centuries in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East. Cupping involves placing several glass cups on the skin to create suction which then stimulates blood flow. The practice comes from ancient Chinese medicine, where cupping treated respiratory illness and other diseases.
During cupping therapy, the therapist puts a flammable substance such as alcohol, herbs, or paper in a cup and sets it on fire. After putting off the fire, the cup is placed upside down on your skin. Sometimes a rubber pump is used instead of fire to create a vacuum inside the cup. The therapist may also use silicon to can be moved over our body to give you a massage-like effect.
Cupping massage therapy is beneficial in increasing the blood circulation in the body where the cups are placed. The increase in blood flow may help relieve muscle tension and promote cell repair.
Cupping helps the tissues in releasing toxic substances from the body. The lymphatic system does this. This kind of therapy also reduces anxiety by engaging your parasympathetic nervous system.
This therapy can also help you in reducing stretch marks and other scars. This happens when increased blood flow reduces toxins, restoring lymphatic circulation and removing excess fluid from the body.
Cupping massage therapy can also help people with asthma, colds, and bronchitis problems. It happened when the suction from the cups removed the congestion that occurs due to fluid build-up in the lungs and delivering blood enriched with oxygen to the lungs and other respiratory muscles.
This therapy also aids in curing digestion problems and colon blockage by simply placing the cups over the abdomen area, stimulating your digestion organs. This will improve the contraction that pushes the food inward, resulting in a clearer colon.
Prenatal Massage Therapy
Prenatal massage therapy is a type of bodywork that focuses on the needs of pregnant women. Prenatal massage aims to release chronic patterns, reduce stress and anxiety levels, improve posture and alleviate various symptoms, including back pain or tightness in the neck from hunching overusing computers.
The primary purpose of this therapy is to get rid of any discomfort and pain during the pregnancy period. As the abdomen grows bigger, the posture also changes, thus putting additional pressure on the joints. Research shows that prenatal massage therapy can help in reducing leg and back pain during pregnancy.
This type of therapy helps women relax during their pregnancy. Keeping them relaxed during this time can have substantial mental health benefits for them. During this therapy, the therapist aims to keep the patient comfortable and tension-free.
Prenatal massage therapy can also help reduce swelling in the legs, ankles, and feet. This happens as the growing uterus puts pressure on the veins of these areas.
Myofascial Release Therapy
Myofascial release therapy is a massage that doesn’t use any oils or lotions and relies on slow movement to help lengthen muscles. The therapist will apply pressure with their hands, fingers, elbows, or forearms to provide deep tissue work without causing pain by pushing too hard. The therapist typically works by stretching or massaging, then lets out the pressure from the tissue areas and the stiff muscles of the body slowly.
This type of massage therapy benefits people with chronic headaches. A gentle massage on their stiff muscles in and around the neck areas may help them immensely.
This therapy can also work on people who blood pool in a particular vein in their legs. If this problem is not fixed soon, then it may cause damage to your veins. People suffering from this often feel pain in their legs. Myofascial release therapy may help reduce the blood pool in the legs if it is done correctly and other necessary treatments.
Hot Stone Massage Therapy
Hot stone massage therapy is a type of bodywork that relies on heated stones to work out knots and tension in muscles. The therapist will place smooth, flat rocks from hot water into an oven for 20-30 minutes, then cover them with a towel or cotton sheet before placing them directly onto soft tissue such as muscle spasms, muscle pulls, or back stiffness. The stones may be placed along your spine, on your stomach, face, feet, or chest.
The hot stones can help relieve muscle tension and pain by increasing the blood flow in the affected areas. Hot stone massage helps ease muscle spasms, pulls, back stiffness due to sitting in one position too long or following an accident. It is beneficial for those with anxiety and stress. A study also showed that people who underwent abdominal surgery had less pain and anxiety when receiving a massage after their operations. A study showed that a hot stone massage therapy could be an alternative solution to sleeping pills. These types of massage therapy help people who have a sleep disorder. These types of massage therapy help people who have a sleep disorder. These types of massage therapy help people who have a sleep disorder. It is also found that this therapy can help people with rheumatoid arthritis. After receiving the hot stone therapy, the rheumatoid arthritis patients have felt less pain and better grip strength.
The Bottom Line
As you can see, different types of massage therapy can provide various benefits. It is up to the person receiving treatment and their therapist to decide which type would be best based on their needs. Massage therapy is indeed an excellent way to relax, relieve stress and pain, gain mobility in joints or muscles. It can also improve mood by releasing endorphins which are the body’s natural “happy drug.” If you have been considering massage therapy for your health needs, contact us today! We offer a wide variety of massages that may best meet your needs. Let us know what we can do for you so that you can enjoy all of these benefits as soon as possible!
Massage Therapy in Richmond Hill, ON
Richmond Hill Massage Therapy offers professional, therapeutic, and relaxing massages. Our therapists are trained to help with your specific needs and provide various techniques such as sports massage, deep tissue, prenatal, hot stone, cupping, myofascial, and more.
You deserve the best! Contact us today to schedule an appointment that will leave you feeling refreshed and rejuvenated. Schedule an appointment today with one of our friendly staff members by calling (289) 809-0281. We look forward to hearing from you soon!